help on how to prep car for paint
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help on how to prep car for paint
Alright so i'm going to be getting my hatch painted real soon but i'm trying to do the prep to save some cash. So i started to work on the rear quarter panels today because their the ones with the straight body. I'm using 180 grit to take off the paint. I was wondering how far do i go when i'm sanding the car down. Do i go to bare metal or just enough so the shine of the paint is gone? Also am i using the correct grit number? What is the next process and so on. This is my first time doing this so i would like to know each step so i can be able to do it correctly.
Thank you.
This is how one of the quarter of the panel looks compared to the other.
and these are the materials i'm using as of now.
Thank you.
This is how one of the quarter of the panel looks compared to the other.
and these are the materials i'm using as of now.
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Quantico, VA
Re: help on how to prep car for paint
ok being i am a painter and this is my profession i should step in! first off 180 is waaayyyy to rough. at most 400. ill give step by step. other painters paint differnt but this is my method. the shop i work for we only use ppg paint.
1. bondo any dents that are shallow. bigger than 1/4 try pulling them out.
2. next sand bondo with 180 dry.
3. Tape off car
4. after body lines are smooth primer car.
5.the add a second layer of primer that is colored black or a dark color very very lightly and then wet sand with 600(some use 1500 because they want a smoother feel before paint. prefrence.) until all black is gone and only the grey primer is shown. (its ok if you rub to the metal but try not to.
6. check over for any chips or body lines you dont like and fix.
7.Retape car. take off old tape( you dont have to but its nice to make sure your paper/tape is where you want before paint.
7. wipe down with a cleaner(forgetting name. but it starts with 330) it cleans the surface and clears dirt from body.
8. paint car in layers. then clear coat in layers.
9. let sit for 6 hours and take tape/paper off
10.then any imperfections wet sand with 1500 until the orange peel look is gone
11. then give it a good buff and the paint will look flawless.
hope this helps!
1. bondo any dents that are shallow. bigger than 1/4 try pulling them out.
2. next sand bondo with 180 dry.
3. Tape off car
4. after body lines are smooth primer car.
5.the add a second layer of primer that is colored black or a dark color very very lightly and then wet sand with 600(some use 1500 because they want a smoother feel before paint. prefrence.) until all black is gone and only the grey primer is shown. (its ok if you rub to the metal but try not to.
6. check over for any chips or body lines you dont like and fix.
7.Retape car. take off old tape( you dont have to but its nice to make sure your paper/tape is where you want before paint.
7. wipe down with a cleaner(forgetting name. but it starts with 330) it cleans the surface and clears dirt from body.
8. paint car in layers. then clear coat in layers.
9. let sit for 6 hours and take tape/paper off
10.then any imperfections wet sand with 1500 until the orange peel look is gone
11. then give it a good buff and the paint will look flawless.
hope this helps!
Hit the floor!
Joined: Jul 2004
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Re: help on how to prep car for paint
TAKE YOUR TIME on the body work. Paint doesnt take too long and is definitely the fun part, but if you do not do a good job on the body work, the paint will bring it out.
Have a professional possibly check your body work and make sure it looks good. Some people just have an eye for it (I know I dont)
Have a professional possibly check your body work and make sure it looks good. Some people just have an eye for it (I know I dont)
Thread Starter
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,064
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Re: help on how to prep car for paint
ok being i am a painter and this is my profession i should step in! first off 180 is waaayyyy to rough. at most 400. ill give step by step. other painters paint differnt but this is my method. the shop i work for we only use ppg paint.
1. bondo any dents that are shallow. bigger than 1/4 try pulling them out.
2. next sand bondo with 180 dry.
3. Tape off car
4. after body lines are smooth primer car.
5.the add a second layer of primer that is colored black or a dark color very very lightly and then wet sand with 600(some use 1500 because they want a smoother feel before paint. prefrence.) until all black is gone and only the grey primer is shown. (its ok if you rub to the metal but try not to.
6. check over for any chips or body lines you dont like and fix.
7.Retape car. take off old tape( you dont have to but its nice to make sure your paper/tape is where you want before paint.
7. wipe down with a cleaner(forgetting name. but it starts with 330) it cleans the surface and clears dirt from body.
8. paint car in layers. then clear coat in layers.
9. let sit for 6 hours and take tape/paper off
10.then any imperfections wet sand with 1500 until the orange peel look is gone
11. then give it a good buff and the paint will look flawless.
hope this helps!
1. bondo any dents that are shallow. bigger than 1/4 try pulling them out.
2. next sand bondo with 180 dry.
3. Tape off car
4. after body lines are smooth primer car.
5.the add a second layer of primer that is colored black or a dark color very very lightly and then wet sand with 600(some use 1500 because they want a smoother feel before paint. prefrence.) until all black is gone and only the grey primer is shown. (its ok if you rub to the metal but try not to.
6. check over for any chips or body lines you dont like and fix.
7.Retape car. take off old tape( you dont have to but its nice to make sure your paper/tape is where you want before paint.
7. wipe down with a cleaner(forgetting name. but it starts with 330) it cleans the surface and clears dirt from body.
8. paint car in layers. then clear coat in layers.
9. let sit for 6 hours and take tape/paper off
10.then any imperfections wet sand with 1500 until the orange peel look is gone
11. then give it a good buff and the paint will look flawless.
hope this helps!
i'll follow your steps and i'll try to do this tomorrow since it's my day off.
I'll post up pics and show you guys how it's coming along.
Btw im going to be covering my rims with some trash bags
thanks for the heads up!
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Re: help on how to prep car for paint
If you haven't already, make sure you go back over the area you used 180 on and smooth it back out with 400.
Step 5 after the 2nd layer of black primer. You should use a block (as shown in your picture with 3M on it) over the repaired body areas. Low spots will stay black until all is sanded level. Most body men use a block twice as long and a little thinner then one in your picture.
The second step 7
with the cleaner is usually a degreaser followed by alcohol wipes and a cheese cloth.
Step 5 after the 2nd layer of black primer. You should use a block (as shown in your picture with 3M on it) over the repaired body areas. Low spots will stay black until all is sanded level. Most body men use a block twice as long and a little thinner then one in your picture.
The second step 7
with the cleaner is usually a degreaser followed by alcohol wipes and a cheese cloth.
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From: northwest PA
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From: Quantico, VA
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From: Acura, Va
Re: help on how to prep car for paint
If you're just sanding the original paint do you have to add primer or is that just if you use bondo?
Also I'm having some clear coat failure and was wondering if i could try and sand it down and throw some clear back over it?? I know it wont look perfect but I don't have the money to paint the whole car and I'm thinking it might stop the clear coat failure from spreading
Also I'm having some clear coat failure and was wondering if i could try and sand it down and throw some clear back over it?? I know it wont look perfect but I don't have the money to paint the whole car and I'm thinking it might stop the clear coat failure from spreading
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 456
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From: green bay, wisconsin, usa
Re: help on how to prep car for paint
Alright man heres some tips
-You can go as low as 80 GRIT if nessesary ie.sanding bondo down
-to use bondo you must go down to bare metal with 80 Grit to help adhesion
-Primer is only used over bondo and bare metal, use 320 to sand the clearcoat off the rest
-If you can feel or see and imperfection before painting, it WILL show only 10 X more noticable, this gets me all the time lol i talk myself into thinking it wont show haha
-I reccomend HIGH build primer
-and for a beginner that sanding block will do fine, be creative and use other objects to create sanding blocks for nooks and crannies
Good Luck
-You can go as low as 80 GRIT if nessesary ie.sanding bondo down
-to use bondo you must go down to bare metal with 80 Grit to help adhesion
-Primer is only used over bondo and bare metal, use 320 to sand the clearcoat off the rest
-If you can feel or see and imperfection before painting, it WILL show only 10 X more noticable, this gets me all the time lol i talk myself into thinking it wont show haha
-I reccomend HIGH build primer
-and for a beginner that sanding block will do fine, be creative and use other objects to create sanding blocks for nooks and crannies
Good Luck
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 621
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From: South Central PA(717), USA
Re: help on how to prep car for paint
I just did my 91, my advice is give alot of detail to all the edges. Meaning along all the trim and windows. I should have sanded and preped those areas more. now i have a few spots where paint is chipping.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 935
Likes: 1
From: big flats, new york, united states
Re: help on how to prep car for paint
Alright man heres some tips
-You can go as low as 80 GRIT if nessesary ie.sanding bondo down
-to use bondo you must go down to bare metal with 80 Grit to help adhesion
-Primer is only used over bondo and bare metal, use 320 to sand the clearcoat off the rest
-If you can feel or see and imperfection before painting, it WILL show only 10 X more noticeable, this gets me all the time lol i talk myself into thinking it wont show haha
-I recommend HIGH build primer
-and for a beginner that sanding block will do fine, be creative and use other objects to create sanding blocks for nooks and crannies
Good Luck
-You can go as low as 80 GRIT if nessesary ie.sanding bondo down
-to use bondo you must go down to bare metal with 80 Grit to help adhesion
-Primer is only used over bondo and bare metal, use 320 to sand the clearcoat off the rest
-If you can feel or see and imperfection before painting, it WILL show only 10 X more noticeable, this gets me all the time lol i talk myself into thinking it wont show haha
-I recommend HIGH build primer
-and for a beginner that sanding block will do fine, be creative and use other objects to create sanding blocks for nooks and crannies
Good Luck
^this....you don't need to be going at the car with 180. all you need to do is get the shine off the car. Just go over the entire car with 320 grit paper. then if you need to do filler work (i hate when ppl say bondo) you need to take it down to bare metal so the FILLER will "bite" into the metal. Then spot prime repair areas.
ALSO feather edge all the filler areas or you will get it done and have bulls eyes all over your car, nothing makes a car look like **** then un-finished body work
then i would seal the car, really no need to prime entire car then base then clear cut buff wait about 45 days for the paint to cure properly then you can wax the car.
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